Anthony, a TBP reader, is in the fight of his life. Retailers are already fighting an uphill battle to stay in business. The last thing they need is the fucking Feds sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong. Obama and his control freaks at the FDA allow teenagers to be on Xanax, leading to mass murder, but for guys who just want to smoke a cigar they impose Nazi-like restrictions.
If you are a cigar aficionado, visit Anthony’s site and show your support.
Band Together – Help Keep Uncle Sam Out of Your Humidor!
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) plans to deem cigars subject to federal regulation and cigar lovers need to band together to protect our rights.
What Does It Mean For You?
Well, mainly it means the government wants to change a number of aspects about the regulation and red-tape associated with cigars. This could have a drastic detrimental impact on the cost of smoking cigars and the culture we enjoy as cigar lovers if the FDA moves forward.
What Could Happen To Cigars If The FDA Steps In?
CigarsCity.com opposes any new regulation of premium or traditional cigars by the United States government. We’re not alone as thousands of cigar fans, the advocacy group Cigar Rights of America, and most cigar manufacturers have also voiced their opposition to the threat of more regulation. The government’s uninvited intrusion into cigar culture is unwelcome and unnecessary!
Here are a few of the things that could happen if the FDA steps in:
– Complete elimination of your right to buy cigars from law-abiding online vendors like CigarsCity.com
– Elimination of walk-in humidors at cigar shops and cigar lounges
– Restrictions on advertisements and promotions of cigars
– Forcing manufacturers to submit blends to the FDA for testing, making cigar production more expensive and time-consuming
– Tougher restrictions on flavored tobacco and flavor infused cigars
What’s Being Done To Stop Them?
Cigar enthusiasts and the industry are fighting back. The good news is, some ears in Washington D.C. are listening.
Specifically, bi-partisan efforts like House Resolution 792 and Senate Bill 772 will clearly spell out that premium and large cigars are off-limts to the FDA. These two pieces of legislation are in committees right now in each the House of Representatives and Senate.
Want more details — well, here’s a bit of legalese if you want to know the specifics:
This proposed definition means any roll of tobacco that is wrapped in 100 percent leaf tobacco, bunched with 100 percent tobacco filler, contains no filter, tip or non-tobacco mouthpiece, weighs at least 6 pounds per 1,000 count, and–
A.) Has a 100 percent leaf tobacco binder and is hand rolled;
B.) Has a 100 percent leaf tobacco binder and is made using human hands to lay the leaf tobacco wrapper or binder onto only one machine that bunches, wraps, and caps each individual cigar; or
C.) Has a homogenized tobacco leaf binder and is made in the United States using human hands to lay the 100 percent leaf tobacco wrapper onto only one machine that bunches, wraps, and caps each individual cigar; and
D.) does not include a cigarette (as such term is defined by section 900(3)) or a little cigar (as such term is defined by section 900(11)).’.
So What Can Cigar Fans Do?
That’s a great question. Generally, we try to stay as far away from politics as possible and we’re guessing you do too. However, if you’re willing to contact your legislators there’s a great tool available at the bottom of this page thanks to the folks at Cigar Rights of America.
Also, it’s going to take more than just those of us who enjoy a good cigar. This political fight is also about personal liberty. If you believe in liberty and to preserve individual freedom, we’d love to have you on our side as part of our band of brothers in support of cigars.
Band Together and Spread the Word
